The Advocate

There has been a lot of discussion about public safety in our city. From frenzied posts on social media of package theft caught on camera to gun violence and gun seizures to homeless encampments to substance addiction problems to police brutality, it is clear that we are all grappling with this in some way. Yet, it's unclear what most San Leandrans actually think about this, even as a number of people allege to speak on behalf of the city as a whole. Indeed, there have been unscientific Nextdoor polls as well as incomplete city surveys that have been used for exactly that purpose, despite missing critical information needed from using best practices in social science. I think it's time we correct this deficiency. There is currently a research project from CSU East Bay aiming to do just this. Here's the pertinent information: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdvgKXq5lNgMYqp-i_0W9Xh5V6_YIssB5l0NDTUZS3m6U3kwA/viewform "Data collected from this confidential survey ...

I've been meaning to come back to this video for quite a while. The incident in question happened July 18, 2019. The victim was a Black woman. The perpetrator was a White San Leandro police officer. The video itself is only about 14 to 16 minutes , but the sequence of events can be summarized as follows: The cell phone recording begins with a Black woman in her car being confronted by a White police officer for an alleged traffic infraction. The officer stated the woman was pulled over for not having a front license plate. The woman informed the officer that she actually does have a front license plate. The officer reasserted that there is not front license plate, requested the woman's identification, and attempted to get her to exit the car in order to conduct a search. The woman did provide her identification but did not consent to a search of her vehicle as the probable cause for the stop was false because she did indeed have front license plates. The officer became argument...

(Credit: Banksy) It's a new dawn and a new day in San Leandro as our City Council voted for a slew of progressive initiatives that will bring truth, justice, and support  to our community! To start with, April 18 of every year will now be known as Steven Taylor Day in San Leandro, in recognition "that the City of San Leandro City Council recognizes April 18 as a day to honor the Sanctity of Steven Taylor’s Life and other lives lost to violence ... that the City of San Leandro does not tolerate the use of deadly force by a police officer." Next up was the approval of a Steven Taylor park in the Marina area to honor his life and those of others lost to racism, bigotry, and violence. This park will feature monuments to key ideals such as healing, justice, and learning, as well as the power of nonviolent resistance. There will even be an informational kiosk that can help direct visitors and others to critical community support services! After that, there was an ordinance to...

  FREE WEBINAR! Date: February 27, 2021 Time: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm Register here: http://bit.ly/SLPDteachin NOTE: the bit.ly link is case sensitive Are you curious about how police funding works in San Leandro? Do you wonder what people mean by the term "defund the police?” Join us to learn more about: -What we spend our money on in the City of San Leandro -How police spend their time and the city’s resources -The relationship between policing and community safety -Movements for change here in San Leandro, regionally, and nationally This webinar is sponsored by a coalition of community members who seek to reimagine public safety through shifting some public resources from policing and reallocating them to community services that prioritize racial equity and social justice in order to ensure the well-being of our entire city. Take note and take care. *Image description: flyer with the above text in black on a yellow background at top and black background with yellow text below, inter...

Well everyone, it has been an intense and harrowing year, filled with tragedies both local as well as national. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, issues across the socio-political spectrum have exposed deep fissures of suffering, bigotry, and injustice. There have also been bright spots, from adventures in Zoom to community charity events, but these have largely been muted by the overarching reality that has faced us starkly and unavoidably. In no way has this been more painful than in the lives of approximately 450,000 Americans who have died as a result of the coronavirus. That said, here are my resolutions for 2021: 1. Healing my mind & body. This goes from exercise to diet to medical treatment to therapy and beyond. As I move through my mid 30's with my wife and children, I can't be as cavalier about these issues anymore as I was in my 20's. 2. Cultivating habits for happiness. I mean really reprioritizing professional and personal activities with better boundar...

I was pleased to see this recent CNBC piece about the systemic issues with racism and related bigotry on Nextdoor: https://youtu.be/mvL5HKyw0zs. I was even more proud to have been able to support and connected with the group, Neighbors for Racial Justice (N4RJ), which was formed in Oakland, but now encompasses several allied groups around the Bay Area, including San Leandro with yours truly! As we've seen here, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nextdoor's platform has become a public square where our community members, including local businesses, can connect with each other. However, as we've also seen, it has been used as a tool for racial profiling, toxicity, misinformation spread by public officials, and even illegal activity. This is going on against a backdrop of Nextdoor's attempts to rehabilitate its image and increase ad revenue in anticipation of an IPO (initial public offering) for the company that could see it become a real competitor for social medi...

Almost 30,000 people have contracted COVID-19 in Alameda County and over 500 people have died from it. In San Leandro alone, we've had over 1,600 cases. The positive test rates in the most populated areas of the county, including most of San Leandro, vary from 5% to greater than 8%. The pandemic's impacted has disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic/Latino communities, particularly when adjusted as a share of the total population. But even when not looking at specific demographics, the devastation is startling, especially as we haven't even begun to review community spread from Thanksgiving yet. You can see the numbers for yourself, in a simple, interactive format on the county's website at https://covid-19.acgov.org/data. I understand people are scared. I understand people are frustrated. I understand there's lots of conflicting information crowding your media sources. I understand that the economic struggles are getting worse, the social and emotional tolls...